Minor League Roundup: Cubs, White Sox call up top prospects

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Each week, CSNChicago.com goes down on the farm for a minor-league report from both the Cubs and White Sox system, presented by Service King.

CUBS

The week after the Cubs called up Albert Almora Jr., they again aggressively promoted a prospect, promoting catcher Willson Contreras to the majors Thursday.

Contreras has been on an absolute tear the last three-plus weeks, hitting .383 with a 1.215 OPS, 16 extra-base hits and 24 RBI in 20 games. 

He doesn't figure to play every day in the big leagues with veterans Miguel Montero and David Ross still around, but Contreras should get plenty of experience on the best team in baseball and can come along slowly, without much pressure.

With Triple-A Iowa, Taylor Davis is on the seven-day disabled list, but when he returns, he figures to take on the bulk of catching duties.

David Freitas, 27, also provides some depth at catcher for Iowa and has a .920 OPS in eight Triple-A games so far.

WHITE SOX

The Tim Anderson era is underway on the South Side.

The White Sox have been looking for a boost on offense and it appears they have gotten it. Anderson was recalled to The Show last week after dominating in Triple-A.

After struggling in his first 12 plate appearances in the MLB – recording only one hit, which came in his first career at-bat – the White Sox switched the 22-year-old shortstop from batting ninth to leadoff (where he’d been hitting in Triple-A) prior to their series against the Detroit Tigers.

Since the change, Anderson has really brought a spark to the big league club and is starting to settle in nicely.

Through six games, Anderson is 8-for-25 with four extra-base hits and helped the White Sox win only their second series in their last 11.

In the meantime, since Anderson’s departure, the Charlotte Knights have started struggled in offensive production. After scoring a combined 14 runs in a doubleheader on Saturday – the first day without Anderson, the Knights have combined for only five runs in their last four contests.

In 55 games in Triple-A Charlotte, Anderson was .304/.325/.409 with four homers, 20 RBIs, 10 doubles and 11 stolen bases.

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